Voter registration looms while initiatives fill ballots

By Edward Foxworth IIII/Tell Us Detroit

DETROIT (Tell Us Det) - The Michigan "Protect Our Jobs" Amendment now joins a number of items on the already crowded November 6th ballot, as an initiated constitutional amendment. This initiative would grant public and private employees the constitutional right to organize and bargain collectively through labor unions.

It would invalidate existing or future state or local laws that limit the ability to join unions and bargain collectively, giving employees the ability to negotiate and enforce collective bargaining agreements, including employees’ financial support of their labor unions. As a result, if proposal 2 is passed, laws may also be enacted to prohibit public employees from striking.

This initiative will override State laws that regulate hours and conditions of employment to the extent that those laws conflict with collective bargaining agreements and lastly, it will define “employer” as a person or entity employing one or more employees.

Bob King, president of the UAW, announced in March 2012, that a coalition of unions would be supporting the amendment and has kept good on that promise.

Reported supporters include:
• Michigan UAW
• Michigan Education Association
• We Are The People – Michigan
• Michigan Nurses Association
• Lecturers’ Employee Organization
• Michigan branch of the American Federation of Teachers
• Michigan AFL-CIO
• Michigan State Utility Workers Council
• National Education Association
• Progress Michigan
• Michigan Democratic Party

Voters are reminded to register to vote, prior to the deadline of October 9th and to familiarize themselves with the pro’s and con’s of this initiative as well as all of the items on the November 6th Ballot.